DETROIT, MI – The state’s leading Democrats met with Gov. Rick Snyder in Detroit Monday and addressed the press shortly after, saying that the governor appeared to take their message to heart, while also warning of "endless controversy" if he does not put a stop to the right-to-work legislation.

Gov. Snyder said he is trying to help further Michigan’s economy by making it a so-called right-to-work state - in which employees of unionized companies are not required to pay fees to the organized labor - but the Democratic congressional delegation from Michigan said a right-to-work law would do the opposite.

"We strongly urged the governor to veto the so-called right to work bill, or at a minimum to ask the legislature to delay the vote on it," U.S. Sen. Carl Levin said.

Levin said the labor environment has dramatically improved in Michigan over the last few years, and that creating a "contentious environment" in labor will not draw new business to the state. He also said the delegation asked the governor to at the very least put right-to-work legislation up for a vote, rather than putting it through a lame duck session.

“The governor listened and he told us he would seriously consider our concerns,” Levin said.

“This is incredibly divisive. We’re hearing from people around the country asking, ‘What in the world is happening in Michigan?’”

Stabenow said the governor said he didn’t want Michigan to become like Wisconsin, where right-to-work legislation embroiled that state in controversy, but right-to-work efforts in Michigan could do just that or worse.

“We’re the place where the middle class began because of our industry, our ability to make things and the ability to have good wages and working conditions, and all that has come with collective bargaining in Michigan.”

John Conyers:

“The result is going to be instead of Michigan united, Michigan divided.”

Conyers said lawmakers have looked into what happens to states that have enacted right-to-work laws. “Without exception, the wages are lower, the economy is not as vigorous, and I think we’re making a very persuasive case to the governor.”

If the law proceeds, it will affect all Michigan citizens, not just those involved in organized labor, he said.

“It’s our position that the ‘right-to-work’ is essentially the right to work for less.”

Gary Peters:

Peters said the governor should at the very least allow the people of Michigan to vote on the issue.

“The governor has a choice, he can put it on the ballot and let the voters of this state make that determination, or will he jam it through a lame duck session and put in an appropriations rider on it, which prevents the people of the state of Michigan from voting on this? If he does that, he will unleash a contentious argument that will be detrimental to the state for years and decades to come.”

Sandy Levin:

“As we face nationally a fiscal cliff, and now face a Michigan cliff, if the right-to-work law passes, the governor will allow us to plunge into endless controversy.”

Levin said he does not believe the governor fully understands what the repercussions of passing the right-to-work legislation will be.

“He said he wants to get it behind us. We told him the opposite is true; he is essentially saying, for Michigan, this would be endless strikes, endless controversy.”

John Dingell:

“We urged strongly that the governor should first of all veto it, second of all veto those things that don’t allow the people of the state of Michigan to vote on this. We also pointed out that this is going to create an intolerably bad relationship inside our state, between labor and management, and citizens and citizens, and citizens and their government.”